Lost in time
by RedHoodGirl91
Summary: Where Snow and Charming go through the time portal and see a young Emma
1. Chapter 1

**Lost in time**

 _this is Snow and Charming going through the time portal._

Snow and Charming went looking for Emma and saw Zelena`s time portal and go to it and get pulled into in.

Snow was still thinking about finding Emma and they end up in Minneapolis 1989.

"Snow, are you ok" . "Yes, where are we or should I say when are we", Snow said.

They looked around they were in the land without magic just not in Storybrooke.

They saw a sign saying Welcome to Minneapolis and they pick up a paper and read the date 1989.

"Charming I know why we are here in this time." Charming looked at Snow "I was thinking of Emma, she must be here somewhere."

I know we can`t change the past but maybe we could see and maybe we could leave her with a bit of hope."

"we could but we don`t know where she is and we don't know this world".

Just when a group and children walked passed them and Snow saw a little girl with blonde hair and green eyes at the back of the group and she knew that she was Emma.

"Emma" Snow said. The little girl turned around and looked at them but before they could say anything, someone was calling Emma and she ran to the group.

"She beautiful".

They followed the group into the cinema. They sat at the back watching Emma steal a candy bar and sit down.

They were going to seat behind Emma when a man walked up to Emma. Snow and Charming walk closer to them.

They could hear what was being said.

"How do you know my name"? Just when Merlin saw Snow and Charming watching them and he knew who they are and more important what time they came from. He looked at them and told them with his eyes to meet him outside.

Outside the cinema, Merlin is waiting for them.

"who are you? And how do you know Emma"? Said Charming.

"I know who she is just like I know who you are, Snow White and Prince Charming and I know you are from the future".

"who are you? And what do you want with Emma"? Said Snow. I am Merlin and I was just telling her something she will need in the future."

"I can help you get back to your time but I think you want to see more of your daughter before you go back".

Snow and Charming looked at each other and back at Merlin. "Can we, it won`t that mess up the time line".

"i don`t know, Emma is only 5, I think you can break the rules this time and I don`t think the time line would change that much but screw it. You should see your daughter."

"Thank you". Said Snow

"I will meet you here tomorrow afternoon and I will send you back to your time."

Merlin left and Snow and Charming waited until the movie was over to talk to Emma.


	2. Chapter 2

chapter 2- Seeing Emma

Snow and Charming followed Emma and the other children back to the group home. Waiting for Emma to be alone so they can talk to her.

Merlin knew how hard it was giving Emma up to save her. Meeting her once won`t chance to much and maybe they can give her a bit of hope for the future.

At the group home, everyone is in the living room everyone but Emma who is in her room on her bed drawing when a door magically appeared in the room and a couple walked through.

"Emma you are so beautiful". "Who are you?"

Snow and Charming looked at each other and Snow said " we are your parents and we are from the future and we came here to see before we go back to the future.

"How do I know you are my parents and from the future?"

"Your favourite colour is yellow, we gave you a baby blanket with your name sowed in purple and purple ribbon and you like the cinnamon with your hot chocolate like I do and you are loved so much" Snow said as she seat on the end of the bed.

Charming sat on the other side of the bed next to Snow and saw the drawing Emma was drawing it was a flower, he knew Emma has that flower as a tattoo and it was also on the crest from the castle.

"Emma that is a beautiful flower, where did it came from?" Emma looked down at the drawing. "I have this dream and I am in this room filled with toys and on the wall is a crest with the flower and I like the flower and when I am older I am getting a this as a tattoo.

I love the dream it is warm and I can feel love".

Snow and Charming give each other a look. Knowing she has a tattoo of the flower and the room in her dreams was her nursery.

"Emma you are talented this is a beautiful drawing do you have more, we would love to see if you do." Snow said.

Emma pulled a box out from under her bed and took out all the drawings. There are all different, some are like the flower one, some are people and landscapes and some are the room from her dream.

"Emma, you have a gift. All of those are amazing. Is this something you would like to do when you are order"?

"I would like to but who would buy anything from a foster kid." "Emma" Charming said as he pulled Emma on to his lap, you are really talented and if you believe you can do anything.

Just than Emma turned to Charming and hug him and like he does with the order Emma he put his hand on the back on her head and then Emma went over and hugged Snow.

Snow and Charming hugged Emma all the time but this was different one Emma being a child and Emma was the one to start the hug.

Just when they was a knock at the door and Emma looked at her parents and said "that is my foster mother you have to hide please or I will get in trouble".

Snow and Charming hide in the cardboard next to Emma`s bed. "Come in". "Emma, lights out in 10 minutes". "Ok, Mrs Brooke.

The door shut and Emma went to the cupboard and open the door.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3-sweet Emma

Emma opened the door and went back to sit on her bed. Snow and Charming came out of the closet and sat down next to Emma, One on each side of Emma.

"Emma we love you so much, we wished everyday that we could of been with you but you are the savior that will save us all and one day you will find us and". Snow put her hand over Emma`s heart and said" we not might be with you but we are always in your heart. You are a very special little girl Emma."

"So I am your only hope"? Yes, Emma but if there was a way for you to stay with us and grow up in the castle, you would of." Said Charming .

Emma looked at him and could tell he was telling the truth. "You said castle. My dream is true, who are you?

They looked at each other, should they tell her?

"Emma do you know the story of Snow White? "Yes, I had a foster sister who liked to watch the Disney one and I watched with her and the first family I had. Used to read me fairytales and one of them was Snow White. Why?

"I am Snow White and this is Prince Charming and you are own daughter and we are from a place called the Enchanted forest and one day you will find us and we will be a family."

They talked for another hour, when Emma had to go to bed but she wanted them to stay until she fell asleep. So they told her they story right up to when Emma was born.

Emma was falling asleep when Snow started singing a song to Emma, she would sing this song to Emma when she was pregnant with her.

"I know this song" Emma said. "I would sing this song to you when I was pregnant with you. "

Emma fell asleep listening to the song.

Snow and Charming watched Emma sleep. "She looks so sweet when she sleeps, I used to watch Emma sleep when the curse the broke but there is something about watching her at this age that warms my heart". Said Snow.

Charming smiled. "I know what you mean, she is so sweet. I would be wrapped around the little finger". Snow smiled.

Just when they saw Emma hugging something white. Then they saw a bit of purple ribbon and realised it was Emma`s baby blanket.

Emma had said the her baby blanket was the only thing she had from them and by the way she is hugging it while she slept, they could tell how much she loves the baby blanket and there will always be a part of them with her.

They could of stayed like that all day, just watching Emma sleep but they know they have to go back to they time.

"We have to go". Charming said. Snow looked at him and with saddest in her eyes went over to Emma and kiss her on her head and said" love you Emma. Charming did the same.

They left the group home and want to meet Merlin.

Snow and Charming got to the park but Merlin was not there yet, so they sat down and started talking about Emma.


	4. Chapter 4

chapter 4 Going home?

Snow and Charming are waiting for Merlin so they could go back to they time.

"She is so sweet Charming, I just want to hold her forever and never let go." Snow took out a letter and opened it.

Charming looked at the letter. " What is that?" "It is a letter Emma gave me, she said she wrote it when she was five" Snow read the letter out loud.

 _Dear Mummy and Daddy_

 _I am back in the group home the family I had were not very nice, so after a month I got moved back to the group home._

 _I miss you every day. I know you love me because I have this dream and you both are there and you play with me and say you love me so much and that I have to find you._

 _I wish you were here now and tell me all that now._

 _Like Daddy says in my dream I will find you and I will never stop looking._

 _love Emma_

Snow finished the letter and looked up at Charming. " She is so sweet and talented little artist". Snow said. "She is talented. Well I know where she gets it from." Charming said. Snow gave him a look.

"Don`t give me that look, I saw your sketch book back in the castle and I saw the sketches you did when you were pregnant with Emma, lets say Like mother like daughter. I think my favourite is the of little Emma with the teddy bear". Ya, I thinks she liked that too, when I was pregnant with Emma, she kicked when I was drawing it. I wonder where that sketchbook is now, probably in Gold`s shop. I should get it and show Emma."

10 minutes later Merlin showed up. "Ready to go back to your time"? "Yes, why did you go to Emma? Was it about her being the savior"? Charming said.

"Yes and No, I was telling something she will need in the future." Snow and Charming walked at each other.

"How was seeing Emma?" "She is a sweet kid who I just want to hug her and take her away from everything but I know she has to be the savior and break the curse" Snow said.

Merlin took out a wand and a bit of Emma`s hair and gave the wand to Snow. " Your daughter is magic and can use magic, so her hair wrapped around the wand will make it work. Just think where you want to go?"

"Thank you".

Snow opened a portal and she and Charming went through but Snow started thinking of Emma and they landed not in Storybrooke but in a different part of time.

 **Do you have a time Snow and Charming should be in now, anything before Emma at 18.**


	5. Chapter 5

chapter 5- ugly duckling

Minneapolis

Snow and Charming looked around and saw a sign reading Welcome to Minneapolis. "We`re not in Storybrooke and we`re still in the past" Charming said as he looked at Snow.

"I was thinking of Emma, she must be around here somewhere. I want to see her."

"Ok, do you still have the wand Merlin gave".

Snow pulled out the wand with Emma`s hair wrapped around the button of the wand out of her pocket .

"Yes, let`s go and find Emma".

They walk to a tunnel and see a bunch of kids all around bonfires. When they see a young girl on her own.

A little girl with blond hair under a beanie. Snow and Charming knew she is Emma.

They walk up to the her, the closer they got they could see Emma had her baby blanket on her lap and about to burn a page from her book.

Charming takes the pages from her.

"Hey that is mine gave it back".

Just when she looked up at him. "Dad". Emma said and looked over at Snow. "Mum, What are you guys doing here I thought you were going back to your time?"

"We were going back but I was thinking of you and we landed here"? Snow said as sat next to Emma.

"You were thinking of me"? "Yes, now why are you out here"?

"I ran away from the group home".

"Emma, we are so sorry, When we put you in the wardrobe we didn't know where you were going, we had to give your best chance." "I know you said I am the savior, I have to save everyone.

Charming looked down at the pages of the ugly duckling. He remembered the story his mother told him the story when he was young and when Snow was pregnant with Emma he would tell her the story.

 _Years ago well 10/11 years for Emma, longer for Snow and Charming._

 _Snow is in the nursery looking at the shelve with lots of books on, for a book to read to Emma. When they announced they are expecting Emma. Friends gave them toys and books for the princess to be._

 _Charming wakes into the nursery and sees Snow at the shelve looking at the books._

 _"Still looking for something to read to Emma?"_

 _Snow turned around and saw her husband in the door way of the nursery holding something._

 _"All the books in the world and I can`t find the right one for Emma."_

 _Charming walked up to Snow and she could see he is holding a book._

 _"I feel the same way, so I went back to the farm this morning and got this." Charming showed Snow the book._

 _"The ugly duckling, I know this book. My mother used to read this to me. Wait you want to back to the farm, was is safe?"_

 _"Lucky I know a secret way and it was worth it to read the same story to Emma"._

 _They walked to they room and sat on the bed and Snow took Charming`s hand in hers and put they hands on her stomach and Charming started the story._

 _By the end of the story Snow had fallen asleep. Charming closed the book. he looked at Snow, she looks so sweet when she sleeps. He moves down the bed so he`s eye level with Snow`s stomach._

 _"Hey there little Emma, you are my little swan and I will tell you this story every night."_

 _And with that Charming fell asleep._

Back to Minneapolis, Charming looked up at Emma after looking at the pages he took from Emma.

"I used to read you this story when you were in your mother`s stomach and the first time I read the story I started calling you little swan".

He looked over at Snow knowing she was thinking the same thing.

"I always liked this story duck become a swan". "It`s not what it`s about the duck was always a swan just didn`t know".

"Emma, I love this story because the duck believe he could be a swan and become one. Believe and you can change your fete."

Charming gave the pages back to Emma.

"Emma lets go and get a hot chocolate with cinnamon and later we`re take you to the police station.

We have to go back our own time but we would love to have a hot chocolate with cinnamon with you. What do you say"? Said Snow.

Emma looked at her parents and said "Yes, I would like that."

They found a local cafe near where they found Emma and sat in the back on the cafe in a booth. Snow sat next to Emma and Charming sat across from them. All enjoying hot chocolate with cinnamon.

A hour later, they walked to the police station.

Outside the station, they told Emma to say some friends bright her here.

Snow hug Emma first and kissed the top of her head and said "Emma always believe and you will find us". "I will mum and I will keep believing.

Emma turned to her dad.

"Hey little swan, your mum and me have this saying I will always find you and I know you will find us because you come from us." Charming hugged Emma and he put his hand on the back of Emma`s head. They pulled away from the hug and Charming kiss the top of Emma`s head.

Emma turned and look at the police station and turned back to face her parents.

"I wish you could take me away but I know you have to go back to your own time and I have to break the curse. Mum, I will keep believing and Dad I like the nickname." Emma said with a smile.

Emma walked into the station and Snow and Charming watch her go with tears in they eyes.

"I thought letting her go the first time was hard but this is harder. Seeing her out there I wish I could do more." Snow said.

Charming looked at Snow I know what you mean but we have to go back to own time.

They walked back to the place the landed here and Snow opened a portal with the wand Merlin gave them with Emma`s hair wrapped around the wand.

The portal open and they jumped in.

 **I was thinking of two ideas Snow and Charming go back to Storybrooke but it`s a different Storybrooke or they go to a different time and see a young Emma at a different time.**


	6. Chapter 6

Merry Christmas

Chapter 6- Christmas

Minneapolis Christmas Eve 1991

Snow and Charming came out of the portal and hit the ground. They get up and look around.

Snow saw a sign saying "Welcome to Minneapolis".

"How are you still in the past? I wasn`t thinking of Emma this time." Snow said as she saw the look on David` face.

"Charming I know that look, what did you do?"

"I was thinking of Emma, what time do you think we are in now?"

"I don`t know but we have a bigger problem." Snow Showed him the wand without Emma`s hair wrapped around. "Emma`s hair is go, we can`t go home without it."

Snow and Charming walked for a bit and found a newspaper and looked at the dated.

"24th December 1991. It`s Christmas Eve and Emma is eight and in a group home or a foster home. We have to get a bit of her hair but I would like to spend this Christmas with her." Snow said.

Snow and Charming walked to a local park where a group of children are making a snowman and a little girl is sitting on the bench watching.

Snow and Charming knew this was Emma. They walked up to Emma and sat down next to her.

"Hey there little swan."

Emma looked at them. "Mum, Dad", You`re here. Why are you here?

"Well, like last time one of us was thinking of you and we saw that it was Christmas Eve. We thought you should have one Christmas with us" Snow said.

"I am in a group home and we get one present and a meal. I would love to spend Christmas with you. "

After the children finished the snowman and went home, Emma and her parents build a Snowman and after went to a local cafe and had a hot chocolate with cinnamon and a mince pie.

As for presents, Snow and Charming gave her a toy rabbit.

Emma wanted to gave her parents someone but Snow said just being with her today is the best gift they could have which gave Emma a idea.

She took out her Polaroid camera and took the first selfie and took another photo with her and her parents and one with her and the toy rabbit and gave them to her parents.

" Here, your Christmas present from me. For when you get back you can frame them."

"That is sweet Emma and you are older you will see these photo at home."

They talked for a bit and when Emma had to go back to the group home, so they walked Emma to the group home and hugged and said goodbye.

Before Emma went inside the group home Snow took a bit of Emma`s hair for the wand.

They went back to the place they came out of the portal. Snow wrapped Emma`s hair around the wand and look back to where Emma is.

"It is nice to know Emma had one good Christmas in her childhood." Snow said and then she turned around and opened a portal and they jumped in.

 **Merry Christmas**

 **Next one back to Storybrooke or another time.**

 **Christmas present Got was a pair of horse slippers.**


	7. Chapter 7

chapter 7- A song

1991- Minnesota

Snow and Charming came out of the portal outside a group home. They sneaked into the house and found Emma`s room.

Snow and Charming heard Emma talking to another girl. They waited for the girl to leave.

They heard everything Emma and the girl said.

The girl left the room and Snow and Charming walked into the room and saw Emma throw away a bit of paper.

"Hey Emma, why are you throwing that out?" Snow said as David pulled the paper out of the bin and looked at it.

It was a poster for a talent show.

"A talent show what were you going to do before you put this in the bin."

"I was going to sing but the girl who was in here stopped me, saying I was like the rest of them all alone".

Snow and Charming sat on the bed with Emma in the middle of them.

"Emma, we might not be with you but we are always in your heart and if you sing at the talent show, somehow we will know because you Emma are never alone." Snow said.

"What were you going to sing before the older girl came in?" Charming said.

"I was going to sing a song a made up. Do you want to hear the song"?

With a smile on both Snow and Charming` s face, they said "Yes, we would love to hear you sing."

Emma sang her song and for a eight year old she still had hope.

After Emma finished the song, both of her parents were smiling and had tears in their eyes.

"Emma that was beautiful".

They talked for the rest of night. until Emma had to go to bed.

Emma got into her bed and asked her parents to sing her a bedtime song.

Snow started a song she sang to Emma when she was pregnant with her and David joined in.

After the song. Emma had fallen asleep. Both Snow and Charming kissed on top of Emma`s head.

Snow and Charming left the group home and opened a portal and jumped inside.

 **for the next chapter anyone know what time Snow and Charming should go to next.**

 **In the musical episode what do you think young Emma was going to sing?**


	8. Chapter 8

chapter 8- Birthday wish, 1992

Snow and Charming dropped out of the portal and looked around. They are not in Storybrooke.

They looked at each.

"David did you think of Emma again?"

"No, I was thinking about Storybrooke and getting home, were you thinking of Emma?"

"I was thinking about Storybrooke too." Snow looked around and saw a newspaper on a bench, she walked to it and picked it up.

"23th October 1992. How are we in the past, wait it`s Emma`s birthday. Let`s go and give her one good birthday in her childhood."

Snow and Charming started walking when they saw a girl in a pretty blue dress with her hair down and a back pack coming towards them. They knew this is Emma.

They walk up to Emma. "Emma."

Emma looked up at her parents. "It worked, I knew it would work."

Snow and Charming looked at each and back at Emma. "Emma what do you mean?"

"My foster brother gave me a cupcake with a blue star candle on it and I make a wish that you would come. And you did.

Snow and Charming looked at each other with the same look on their faces. They won`t thinking of Emma. Emma was the one who brought them here, she does have magic.

"I knew you would come, that is why I am wearing this dress. Emma said as she pointed to the dress. "Come with me to my secret place." Emma said as she started running, Snow and Charming followed her.

Emma took them to a abandoned house and inside in the living room is a tea set up for three, knowing her wish will work.

Emma sat at the table with a cupcake with a blue star candle in it.

Snow looked around the house. "Emma, what is this place?"

Emma looked up at her mother. "I found this place when I ran away the first time and I come here when things get hard at group homes and foster homes, I like to call it my castle. Now who wants tea.

Snow and Charming seat round the small table and Emma poured the tea in a cup in front of them and handed them a cookie. She might of made or steal.

"This is my first tea party with real people, the other time I did a Alice in Wonderland with toys and stuff I found here. I know that this might be a one off but I don`t mind, just maybe we could have one photo before you go."

"That would be nice but Emma you dropped out of a time portal, so we might not have any present."

"David"! Snow said giving him a look.

"It`s ok, having you here is the best present I could wish for."

Just then Snow got a idea. "Wish". She lit the candle in front of Emma. "Emma make a wish for something you want and somehow we will give it to you."

Emma thought for a moment and closed her eyes and made the wish. She opened her eyes and looked at her parents. Snow felt someone in her pocket, she put her hand in her pocket and pulled out a box with a bow and a card that reads _to Emma Happy birthday love from mum and dad._

"How is that possible?" Snow said a she gave Emma the gift.

"Magic" Emma said as she opened the present. It`s a necklace the same one Emma wears in Storybrooke with the one Neal give her.

"I saw this in a shop window." Emma said as she put it on.

After a hour and half after the tea party, Emma had to go back to the group home. She took out a Polaroid camera and took two photos and kept one and gave the other to her parents.

They left the house and Emma hugged her parents and ran off, back to the group home and Snow and Charming opened a portal and jump in.

 **I am going to do a one more in the past that one is 2009 and then back to the present.**

 **2009 is going to be different to the others. I have a idea**


	9. Chapter 9

**This chapter is different it`s more Emma`s pov with Snow and Charming watching her.**

chapter 9- firebird

A 26 year old Emma drives to the place she was brought to when she was found as a baby. Hoping to look for answers about her parents.

She remembers meeting her parents when she was little. Now she was on a mission to find them, the last time she saw them was on her birthday in 1992.

When she was sixteen she read her file and read what happened to her when she was a baby. With that and what people told her. Emma wanted to find her parents.

At Chantey lobster house.

Emma give the woman who worked there the article about the day she was found. "So, I just thought I`d ask on the off chance if there`s someone still working here who remembers that baby being brought in."

A woman joins the line behind Emma as well as Snow and Charming who dropped out of the portal a few minutes ago.

"26 years ago? We can`t keep a cook for six weeks." The woman said as she looked at the article. "Maybe, Like a long-time customer."

"The food ain`t good enough for that kind of loyalty. Sorry. honey but you`re not gonna find anyone here who remembers this."

Emma takes the food and walks round to the sitting area. She sits alone and looks back at the article

and takes out a sketch book she started when she first saw her parents back in 1989 and every time her parents come she would draw them and what they did.

Snow and David sat at a table two tables over, when the woman from the line walks over to Emma.

"Tough break kid". Emma looks up. "What"?

Cleo sits down. "Heard what you were asking. You a reporter or something?"

"No, nothing like that."

"You`re the baby, aren`t you? From the article. You`re the baby, right? Intuition. Mine`s usually pretty good. And I`m sorry, it`s hard not being able to find your family." Cleo saw the sketch book in front of Emma. "You like to draw, what`s in your book?"

Emma grabbed the book and stands up. "It`s just something I did when I was younger not much. And it`s just a dead end. I`ve had a lot of those. So thanks for your concern, but I got this".

"Can I say one more thing based on my intuition?"

"Okey".

"I look at you.. young, pretty". "Okey" Emma said. "And I see someone who now stop me if I`m wrong but someone who stole money from couple convenience stores in Phoenix. got arrested and took off on her bail."

Emma takes off, running back to her car and Cleo follows her calmly.

Snow and David stay at the table watching what just happened. Snow got a idea to help Emma out she grabbed a napkin from the table and wrote the word Storybrooke.

They left the table and followed the way Emma went.

They saw Emma in her car which had a boot on the back wheel and Cleo by the car.

They watched as Cleo take Emma away somewhere .

They walked to Emma`s car and from a tick Emma taught them opened the car and Snow put the napkin on the car seat and locked the car.

Snow opened the portal and jumped in.

 **next chapter is present day Storybrooke**


	10. Chapter 10

chapter 10- Present day

Snow and Charming dropped out the portal at Zelena`s farmhouse. They got up and Snow looked around. "We`re back. Let`s go find Emma.

They left the farm house and went to Granny`s, where Emma is sitting at the back in booth drinking hot coco with cinnamon.

They walk up to the booth.

"Hey little swan".

Emma turned toward her parents "Mum, Dad I missed you". Emma said as she hugged them.

They sat in the booth.

"We went looking for you and fell in Zelena`s time portal. where were you?"

"I was sitting on a bench when Hook found me and gave me the storybook and showed me what I was running from and I remembered this." She pulled out a sketch book from her childhood.

Emma opened the book to lots of drawing of Emma and her parents.

"I remembered you came to me in 89, 90, 91 and 92. You were with me my whole life.

In 1991, you help me. You`re the reason I have swan as my last name."

Snow turned the page to a napkin from the Chantey lobster house with Storybrooke written on it in the book.

Emma saw the napkin.

"Oh, I forgot that was it then". She looked at her parents looking at the napkin. "You guys ok?"

Snow looked at Emma. "Yes, fine."

"Wait, did you go in Maine in 2009 and leave this in my car because if so I am going to teach Neal how to pick a lock."

"After we left you in 1992, we might of dropped in Maine 2006 and watch you with the bail bound woman and we wanting to help you find us." 

"Thank you."


End file.
